Like urine color, the smell of your urine can be a clue about your body's condition. Smelly urine can also be caused by factors such as:

Certain foods

Dehydration

Diabetes

Kidney stones

Various infections

Learn more about these causes and what you can do about smelly urine.

Ammonia is stored in the liver as glutamine, which is released into urine. Your pee can have a strong smell of ammonia due to conditions like dehydration and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Dehydration, which is when the body loses more fluids than are replaced, can lead to a strong urine odor.

You can check the color of your urine to confirm whether you're dehydrated. If it's dark yellow, you probably need to up your water intake. However, you're well-hydrated if it's a pale straw or transparent yellow color.

Other symptoms of dehydration include:

Decreased urine and sweat

Dizziness

Dry mouth or skin

Increased thirst

Tiredness

Asparagus is notorious for making urine smelly, though it does not result in a urine odor for every person. Other foods, like onions and garlic, can have similar odorous effects.

Kidney stones can also affect your urine. They develop when salt and other minerals found in urine stick together and form hard stone-like deposits that can be as small as sand-like grains or as large as full-on chunks of gravel.

Other symptoms of kidney stones include:

Back, side, or groin pain

Blood in your urine

Fever

Frequent urination

Nausea or vomiting

Pain with urination

A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria get into your urinary system through the urethra and then begin to multiply in the bladder. These bacteria can make your pee smell bad. Other than urine with an unpleasant odor, you may:

Experience a burning sensation when peeing

Have cloudy or bloody urine

Have to pee more frequently

Urine can have a sweet odor when a person has metabolism issues. The issues can be with organs like the pancreas, leading to health conditions such as diabetes.

People with high blood sugar—or hyperglycemia, a hallmark of diabetes— have excess glucose. This happens when the body struggles to use insulin properly or if the body has too little insulin.

Your body will try to get rid of the extra glucose through pee. This results in sweet-smelling urine. Also, you may need to use the restroom frequently and be thirstier than normal with high blood sugar.

Sweet-smelling urine may also be the result of a rare metabolic disease known as maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). The maple-smelling urine is a symptom that occurs in infants alongside:

Delays in developmental milestones

Difficulties with feeding

Failure to thrive

Resolving issues with the odor of your pee depends on what's causing it. To help reduce or eliminate smelly urine, you can:

If you engage in any of these practices but still have urine with an odor, consult a healthcare provider.

If you think you might have diabetes or any type of infection, meet with a healthcare provider for testing and treatment option determination. Of note, UTIs accompanied by the following symptoms need medical attention as well:

Back pain

Burning pain during urination

Chills

Fever

Unusual urine odor

Also, some kidney stones pass in the urine without any need for treatment. However, seek medical attention if you have severe pain, vomiting, bleeding, signs of infection, or a fever.

Some medications or vitamins may also be responsible for smelly urine. Talk with a healthcare provider if you note a change in your urine odor after starting prescribed medications or supplements.

There are many reasons why your urine has an odor to it from the foods you eat to potential infections. If you notice that your urine smells, and you aren't quite sure of the reason, reach out to a healthcare provider. They can help you determine the cause and if necessary, get you the treatment you need.